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Some historical coins of Hadrian1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2012

Harold Mattingly
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Extract

In the absence of a full and satisfactory record in literature of the reign of Hadrian, we turn with more than ordinary expectation to his large and varied coinage. We are at once confronted with a formidable difficulty: most of Hadrian's coins bear no other sign of date than COS · III—that is to say, they can only be dated to the long period from A.D. 119 to 138. This problem, then, must be faced at the outset. To save space, we will at once set out the system of dating we shall follow, adding only the few notes absolutely required to justify it:

A.D. 117. Coins dated COS.

A.D. 118. Coins dated COS · II

A.D. 119–138. Coins dated COS · III

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Roman Studies , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , 1925 , pp. 209 - 222
Copyright
Copyright © Harold Mattingly 1925. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

page 210 note 1 See Brit. Mus. Catal. Empire, I, p. cli, note on use of title P.P. by Claudius.

page 211 note 1 J.R.S. x, p. 37.

page 211 note 2 Num. Chron. 1922, pp. 186 ff.

page 211 note 3 e.g. for Gordian I and II or Trajan Decius.

page 212 note 1 Cp. Vogt, , Die Alexandrinischen Munzen, i, 109 ff.Google Scholar, ‘ΙΙρόνοια’ type of A.D. 137, 8 (adoption of Antoninus Pius): Cohen (Albinus). 55, Provid. Aug. Cos. (adoption of Albinus by Septimius Severus).

page 212 note 2 Spartian, , De Vita Hadriani (Script. Hist. Aug.), iv, 8Google Scholar, mentions Neratius Priscus: but, if Trajan intended to pass over Hadrian, why did he leave him in such an important post as the command in Syria?

page 213 note 1 Cp. the ‘Salus’ and ‘Securitas’ types of Nero (Cohen, 313 ff., 321 ff.) struck after the conspiracy of Piso.

page 214 note 1 A similar attitude may be a sign of mourning, as on Domitian's ‘Germania’ type, Cohen, i, p. 486, type 7 (imperfectly decribed). For a fuller discussion, see article by Miss Toynbee in J.R.S. xiv.

page 214 note 2 F. Prichac in Rev. Num. 1919, pp. 163 ff. connects these temple types with the legend of the priestess of the ‘Bona Dea’ described in Propertius, iv, 9, and the rebuilding of a temple of Bona Dea by Hadrian. Some connexion perhaps exists, but hardly so direct a one as Prichac supposes. Perhaps Gades had a somewhat similar legend of Hercules.

page 214 note 3 See J.R.S. xiii, 91 ff. ‘Commodus-Hercules in Britain’ (esp. p. 104).

page 214 note 4 Cp. Tac. Agricola, 24, 1Google Scholar.

page 214 note 5 The group to which these obv. belong is to be dated A.D. 119 to 121: nos. 12 and 14 show middle portraits of the group, no. 13 decidedly early ones.

page 215 note 1 Spartian, , Vita Hadriani, vii, 6Google Scholar.

page 215 note 2 Cp. Spartian, , Vita Hadriani, vii, 3, 4, xxiii, 12 ffGoogle Scholar.

page 215 note 3 Cp. Cohen, 908 ff: only iii, iv, vi and vii are actually numbered, but the others can be certainly identified.

page 216 note 1 See Mommsen, in Abhard. der phil.-hist. Klasse der kön. sächs. Gesellschaft d r Wissenschaften, Leipsig, 1850, pp. 645 ffGoogle Scholar.

page 216 note 2 Spartian, , Vita Hadriani, xviii, 5Google Scholar.

page 216 note 3 Gaius, Institutionum Comment. i, 30, 81, 84. For this suggestion I am indebted to Professor H. Stuart Jones.

page 216 note 4 For ‘Vota’ in the earlier empire, cp. Brit. Mus. Catal. Empire, I, xvii ff., n. 6.

page 218 note 1 Cp. Spartian, , Vita Hadriani, xix, 13Google Scholar: ‘transtulit et colossum stantem atque suspensum per Decrianum architectum de eo loco, in quo nunc templum urbis est, ingenti molimine, ita ut operi etiam elephantos uiginti quattuor exhiberet, et cum hoc simulacrum post Neronis uultum, cui antea dicatum fuerat, Soli consecrasset, aliud tale Apollodoro architecto auctore facere Lunae molitus est.’

page 219 note 1 Cp. Henderson, Life and Principate of Hadrian, p. 284, who quotes the evidence, but fails to see its drift. Bricks of the temple of the years 123 and 134 are known; it was inaugurated then before 123, and April 21st, 121, is the only probable date that can be suggested.

page 219 note 2 We could read Hadrianvs P.P. Augvstvs; but only by beginning in an unusual place: and the form of legend would be almost, if not quite, unparalleled at this time.